Evidence of the Authenticity of the Pearl of Great Price

Evidence of the Authenticity of the Pearl of Great Price By Sidney B. Sperry, Principal L. D. S. Seminary In a recent publication entitled A Hebrew Deluge Story in Cuneiform, Dr. Albert T. Clay, of Yale University, gives the results of a study made of a fragment of a large tablet in the possession of the Pierpont Morgan Library Collection of Baby- lonian Inscriptions. Dr. Clay's researches reveal that "It is a part of an old version of what should properly be called the Atra-hasis Epic, which is a very ancient Hebrew, or Amorite deluge story; and that the so-called Ea andAtra-hasis legend of the Assyrian period which has also been translated by a number of scholars, is a late redaction of it. The later version or redaction was put into a magical setting for incantation purposes." In a foreword to his monograph, Dr. Clay says: "This story of the deluge which had found its way into Babylonia, where it was made to conform largely to the Akkadian dialect, fully betrays its origin; it came from the same source whence the Hebrew traditions came, namely from the people who lived in Amurru (Syria and Mesopotamia), called the Amorites. As was the case in pre-Mosaic days, and to a large extent in early Israel, when henotheism prevailed, God is the foremost deity. We learn from this tradition, and also from its redaction written centuries later, that a long famine preceded the deluge, which is not refer- red to in the Old Testament; that the famine had been sent because men had multiplied, and also because of their clamor, reminding us of the causes given for the deluge in the Old Testament." It is the last statement concerning the famine which claims our interest in connection with the Pearl of Great Price. If we turn to Moses 8:4 we read, "And there came forth a great famine into the land, and the Lord cursed the earth with a sore curse, and many of the inhabitants thereof died." An examina- tion of the whole chapter will show that the famine preceded the flood, which is in accordance with what Dr. Clay says. On page 14 of Dr. Clay's monograph we read further: "This second tablet of the ancient version opens with a reference to the famine, as in the late redaction. In the latter we learn that the famine lasted six, probably seven, years; and that it became so severe that human flesh was eaten. The Biblical story makes no reference to a famine preceding the deluge." This statement in the main agrees beautifully with what the Pearl of Great Price says, that "the Lord cursed the earth with

248 IMPROVEMENT ERA a sore curse, and many of the inhabitants thereof died." For the interest of the reader a selection from the early version, lines 1-19, is given with the transliteration omitted, being of no interest to the general reader: I will bring (?) their clamor(?) ******** The land had become great; the people had multiplied. The land like a bull had become satiated. (In) their assemblage God was absent. * * * heard their clamor. He said to the great gods (?) Those observing the clamor of men in their assemblage he spoke of desolation. Let the fig tree for the people be (cut off). (In) their (fields) let the plant become a weed (?) * * * the sheep let Adad destroy. (The fountains of the deep) let not flow. (That the flood rise at the source.) Let the wind blow. Let it drive mightily. Let the clouds be held back that (rain from the heavens) pour not forth. Let the field withhold its fertility. (Let a change come over) the bosom of Nisaba. The agreement between the account of the old Semitic version and the account in the Pearl of Great Price is too close to be credited to mere chance. If Joseph Smith "guessed" that a famine preceded the de- luge, he guessed and gave forth to the world nearly ninety years before a trained scientist found out the same thing and published it for our benefit. When we consider that the tablets containing accounts of the old Babylonian and Hebrew traditions were not discovered until many years after Joseph Smith's death, and further, that they could not possibly have been translated in his day, we are led to the conclusion that he got his knowledge from the giver of all truth, God, the eternal Father. American Fork. The Wise Man The wise man trains his mind within the realm Where love doth wield the scepter, wear the crown ; He sees in all the wondrous gem divine, And never thrusts a fellow-creature down. The wise man builds, the fool alone destroys. What genius hath consumed the years to grow, With sight that penetrates 'yond reach of earth, The fool oft lays in ruins at a blow. Provo, Utah Grace Ingles Frost